CPI denies affiliation with AISF, says Kanhaiya belongs to party family

Hyderabad: CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy on Tuesday cleared the air regarding the party's connection with student wings saying that CPI does not have any affiliated organisations and the outfits like AISF are independent but "friendly" towards the party.

His remarks came in the context of the row involving JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar who belongs to AISF (All India Students Federation).

Representative image. Reuters

"We want to make it clear, we don't have any affiliated organisations. There is a difference between affiliated and those who are friendly with us. We don't have students' wing, youth wing or trade union wing and all that," Reddy told reporters.

"All those in students' federation are not our party members. Kanhaiya Kumar definitely belongs to our party family...," he said.

AISF was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru in a meeting presided by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in 1936, Reddy said.

Former Prime Minister and BJP veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also a member of AISF once upon a time, Reddy mentioned, adding that it could have happened because AISF was the only students' association those days.

"...The general students in AISF may take their own political line. We don't nominate AISF presidents or secretaries. We have no right to remove them because we don't nominate them. Parties nominate in other unions. Our party members work in women's, students, trade unions, so they are friendly to us. They are independent organisations, supported by Left and supported by general democratic sections of the
society," Reddy said.

Asked if Kanhaiya Kumar would campaign for Left in the coming polls in five states, the CPI General Secretary said it was not discussed, but the JNUSU president may campaign as he did in Bihar election.